1. When Latching p. 1 of 2
Push baby’s bottom into your body with the side of your forearm
(the same side as where your baby finger is).
• This will bring him towards your breast with the
nipple pointing to the roof of his mouth
• Mother’s hand under the baby’s face, palm up.
• Head supported but NOT pushed in against breast.
• Head tilted back slightly.
• Baby’s body and legs wrapped in around mother.
• Use your whole arm to bring the baby onto the breast,
when mouth wide.
Chin and lower jaw touch breast first.
WATCH LOWER LIP, aim it as far from base of nipple as possible,
so tongue draws lots of breast into mouth.
Move baby’s body and head together – keep baby uncurled.
Once latched, top lip will be close to nipple, areola shows above lip.
Keep chin close against breast.
WIDE MOUTH / GAPE
Area
drawn
into Need mouth wide before baby moved onto breast. Teach
Baby’s baby to open wide/gape:
mouth
• Move baby toward breast, touch top lip against nipple
• Move mouth away SLIGHTLY
• Touch top lip against nipple again, move away again
• Repeat until baby opens wide and has tongue forward
• Or, better yet, run nipple along the baby's upper lip,
from one corner to the other, lightly, until baby opens
wide
Push base of hand firmly
against baby’s shoulders,
keeping baby “uncurled,”
chin coming in first
baby’s head tilted
MOTHER’S VIEW WHILE LATCHING BABY slightly back
bring baby in
quickly
Area baby push with base of
draws in hand on shoulders
mouth
chin touches first
baby’s body close
Move baby, not breast! against mother
Handout A. When Latching. Original written and designed by Anne J. Barnes
Revised January 2005 From Dr. Jack Newman’s Handout Collection @ www.kellymom.com

2. When Latching p. 2 of 2
MOTHER’S VIEW OF
NURSING BABY
Head tilted slightly
back
Chin well in against
breast
Hold in firmly
against shoulders,
keeping baby
uncurled
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MOTHER CAUTIONS
Mother’s posture Mother needs to AVOID
• sit with straight, well-supported back
• pushing her breast across her body
• trunk facing forwards, lap flat
• chasing the baby with her breast
Baby’s position before feed begins
• flapping the breast up and down
• on pillow can be helpful,
• nipple points to the baby’s upper lip or nostril • holding breast with scissor grip
• not supporting breast
Baby’s body
• placed not quite tummy to tummy, but so that baby • twisting her body towards the baby instead of
comes up to breast from below and baby’s eyes make slightly away
contact with mother’s • aiming nipple to centre of baby’s mouth
Support breast • pulling baby’s chin down to open mouth
• firm inner breast tissue by raising breast slightly with • flexing baby’s head when bringing to breast
fingers placed flat on chest wall and thumb pointing up
(if helpful, also use sling or tensor bandage around • moving breast into baby’s mouth instead of
breast) bringing baby to breast
• moving baby onto breast without a proper gape
Move baby quickly on to breast
• head tilted back slightly, pushing in across shoulders • not moving baby onto breast quickly enough at
so chin and lower jaw make first contact (not nose) height of gape
while mouth still wide open, keep baby uncurled • having baby’s nose touch breast first and not the
(means tongue nearer breast) lower lip is aimed as far chin
from nipple as possible so baby’s tongue draws in
maximum amount of breast tissue • holding breast away from baby’s nose (not
necessary if the baby is well latched on, as the
nose will be away from the breast anyway)
See videos at www.thebirthden.com/Newman.html This handout may be copied and distributed without further permission,
on the condition that it is not used in any context in which the
WHO code on the marketing of breastmilk substitutes is violated.
Handout A. When Latching. Original written and designed by Anne J. Barnes
Revised January 2005 From Dr. Jack Newman’s Handout Collection @ www.kellymom.com